Conventional braces, and in particular spinal braces, desire improvement, especially in terms of comfort and adjustability. One type of spinal brace is a bi-valve brace having a pair of substantially rigid shells. The shells are typically trimmed using scissors or the like to adjust the size and configuration of the shells to the user. This is inconvenient and limits the usefulness of the shells.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to an adjustable brace including a substantially rigid shell conforming to a body part of a user and a strap for securing the shell in fitting engagement with the body part. The shell has a substantially rigid central body portion and a pair of opposite and substantially rigid side portions fixedly and adjustably positionable relative to the body portion of the shell. The positions of the side portions may be independently adjusted relative to the body portion of the shell to provide relatively custom fitting of the brace to the user.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an adjustable spinal brace. In a preferred embodiment, the spinal brace includes a first substantially rigid shell conforming to a first body part of a user, a second substantially rigid shell conforming to a second body part of the user, and a strap system for securing the shells in fitting engagement with the body parts of the user.
The first shell includes a substantially rigid central body portion and a pair of opposite and substantially rigid side portions fixedly and adjustably positionable relative to the body portion of the shell. The positions of the side portions may be independently adjusted relative to the body portion of the shell to provide relatively custom fitting of the brace to the user.
In yet another aspect, the second shell of the spinal brace is also adjustable and includes a substantially rigid central body portion and a pair of opposite and substantially rigid side portions fixedly and adjustably positionable relative to the body portion of the shell.